The Jervis McEntee Diaries - July 26, 1875

Diary Entry:

Yesterday I wrote a long letter to Lucy. Am reading Grimms life of Michael Angelo in which I am much interested. Have a better idea of Italian politics of his time than I ever had before. Beyond reading I am doing nothing and I have my annual summer discontent, a longing to be doing something in my Art. I think I would like to be sketching from nature and still my summer sketches never help me much and going to work now might take the edge off my enthusiasm in the fall. This lying fallow I am convinced is not wasted time. I am delighted to find that the great Michael Angelo often spent long seasons in apparent neglect of his art but who shall say what he was preparing in his mind. No man can accomplish great things without getting far enough from his work occasionally to see what he has done. If I had my way now I would take some excursions if I could find a companion and hunt up some pleasant region to sketch in in the Autumn.